This area of direct insolation varies throughout the year but is confined within We label these areas the Tropic of Cancer, which is During a Michigan summer, the area from the equator to the Tropic of Cancer gets direct sun, whereas in our winter, we do not. A second reason for the temperature lag behind increasing daylight hours is accumulated heat energy in the Earth. These rocks stay warm long after the fire has gone out.
Well, the Earth is a giant rock being heated by the sun. Just as the rocks around the fire pit slowly release their heat after the fire is out, so does the Earth slowly release the heat it accumulated over the summer.
So even though the days are getting shorter after the summer solstice, the Earth cools slowly, giving us a summer heat lag and consequently hot Julys and Augusts. An opposite heat lag occurs after the shortest day of the year, resulting in cold winters, as heating of the Earth slowly ramps up as the days lengthen. Again, think about the rocks around the fire pit. Initially, they are cool to the touch but as the fire roars, they become hot. You touch your face thousands of times a day, and you touch things in your environment even more often.
Washing those germs off your hands is essential to keeping them out of your body. It may sound silly, but you could be washing your hands the wrong way, which leaves you at risk for illness. If you are sick and coughing, use your elbow to cover your mouth when you cough. Changing how you cover your cough really isn't that difficult and it makes a big difference in the spread of germs.
It's hard to stay away from sick people. Many parents are reluctant to keep their children home from school, meaning they take their germs into your child's classroom. Your co-workers may not want to call in sick , so they come to work and infect you. Traveling can mean dry, recycled airplane air and exposure to germs from all over. Washing your hands frequently is still the number one suggestion to keep yourself healthy, no matter where you are.
Beyond that, washing toys, shared phones, and other things people touch frequently can help. People will likely blame the common cold on cold weather for years to come, despite evidence that points to a complex set of contributing factors—the weather being but a minor player.
Although more people get sick with colds during the winter months, the temperature outside is not the direct cause of these illnesses. Cold season falls during colder months for all of the reasons discussed, and possibly some that aren't even known yet. Looking to avoid getting the flu? Our free guide has everything you need to stay healthy this season.
Sign up and get yours today. A decrease in temperature and humidity precedes human rhinovirus infections in a cold climate. Temperature-dependent innate defense against the common cold virus limits viral replication at warm temperature in mouse airway cells.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Common colds: protect yourself and others. Sign up to receive the latest health and science news, plus answers to wellness questions and expert tips.
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